FYI Television Secures Deals with 13 Newspapers

GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS (June 30, 2015) FYI Television, Inc. (FYI), the leader in entertainment metadata and rich media content, is delighted to announce strategic partnerships with 13 different United States newspapers, all achieved over the past 120 days.

The esteemed publications include The Chicago Sun Times, The Bellefontaine Examiner, State Record, The Houston Herald, The Hillsboro Reporter, The State Gazette, The Southwest Times, The Llano News, The Williamson County Sun, Coastal Bend Herald, The Free Lance-Star, The Observer-Dispatch and The Virginian-Pilot.

These newspapers will be utilizing popular FYI print and digital items, including television listings, TV grid panels, crossword puzzles, sports breakouts, channel conversion charts and more in an effort to keep readers engaged and drive revenue.

“FYI Television’s industry-leading print and digital products are clearly providing newspapers across the country with television features that subscribers and readers consider valuable,” said John T. Dodds, Vice President of Newspaper Sales for FYI Television. “Through our highly advanced development system, establishing new methods for attracting and maintaining subscribers while generating new lines of revenue for our newspaper clients and distribution partners are our top priorities.”

FYI offers numerous newspaper print features, columns, TV magazines and more. Learn how to maximize your potential by getting in contact today.

About FYI Television:

FYI Television, Inc. (FYI), the TV metadata and entertainment image content expert, accumulates and distributes TV entertainment content and linear scheduling data from more than 12,000 TV networks daily, aggregating the information into customized formats for various television, mobile, Internet and print clients. Through the vast array of applications our data is filtered into, hundreds of millions of consumers engage with FYI’s content. Clients in both domestic and international markets including SiliconDust, AT&T, Microsoft, Ericsson, NBC Universal, Disney, SONY, Discovery, Gannett Newspapers, McClatchy, Star Media, Ygnition, BIM, Frontier Communications, Boxfish, GMR, Syncbak, Cannella, comScore, Rentrak, Digital First, Ole, National Geographic and ARRIS turn to FYI for its top-notch tailored TV metadata, data management, image content, media measurement and analytics. Learn more about our products and services at www.fyitelevision.com and follow our blog at blog.fyitelevision.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Lauren Jackson, Marketing Manager
t. 972-896-2082
ljackson@fyitelevision.com

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Professionalism: A Key Factor in TV Program Content

A coherent and accurate summary is integral for television and entertainment metadata – viewers and cable/OTT subscribers deserve to be properly informed regarding the content of a film or TV show episode.

In addition to having a neutral perspective in a program description, there are other variables that must be taken into account – has the plot framework been written with a degree of competence and respect, or does abundant ignorance pervade?

When it comes to some metadata vendors, it is all too obvious.

In this example, unnecessarily graphic language is used to outline the plot of the 2014 film “Premature.”

Never seen this, but it has got to be one of the worst descriptions of a movie. A bad take on groundhogs day lol pic.twitter.com/rcA8n1AK2T

— Cubs 39-30 (@LionsFanInGA) June 13, 2015

This metadata provider opts to use slang terms in their episodic summary, a clear lack of decorum.

My cable provider uses the term "douchey" to describe a character in a TV episode summary. via /r/funny … pic.twitter.com/wusotb3PzK

— Reddit Funny (@redditfunnybot) June 13, 2015

And slang is taken to the extreme in these two examples.

Trying to find a movie to watch... Don't think this one is it #LeprechaunBack2ThaHood 😂😂 Read the cynopsis pic.twitter.com/v0TBjnndEs

— Chad Glidewell (@iGlideWell) May 9, 2015

Great description! This film was made for me! pic.twitter.com/RPdKrIKbUb
— Paul (@ShoneyVanHalen) April 6, 2015

Here, metadata suppliers are caught utilizing racial terms as descriptors for characters and real people. This is not essential information for a precise summary.

Ummmm thanks #comcast..... I guess😕 #comcast #cable #tvshows #africana@ericsn

A photo posted by sarah-regina (@briggeesmallz) on May 27, 2015 at 5:47pm PDT

Really direct TV @Martin Lawerence this is the best they could do with the move description#smh @direct tv pic.twitter.com/OYkhVmb5zl
— cathliene (@cathliene37) January 26, 2015

#crackle who wrote this description for this movie? It's very specific and screams comedy. pic.twitter.com/Tts4Qz0X33

— Matt Kaplan (@wordsbymatt) June 6, 2015

2014’s “Tout des connes” is the story of a man experiencing a struggle with the ending of a relationship. A company that alleges their summaries “are composed by the top journalists in cinema” came up with the following nonsensical gibberish. How does this cover the plot of the film?

Best movie plot summary ever, courtesy of @Fandor pic.twitter.com/GRfbH1aluJ

— JM Stim (@JMStimNYC) March 18, 2015

Finally, in a total rookie move, a writer at this metadata vendor decided to insert his name, twice, into a program description:

It's funny 'cause it's wrong. Also, CSI Miami is on. #comcast #xfinity #idontwatchellen #wednesday

A photo posted by Anthony Hoffman (@anthony_hoffman84) on Jun 17, 2015 at 1:06pm PDT

It is clear that many entertainment metadata suppliers do not have much needed gravitas when it comes to composing descriptions and summaries.

FYI Television treats all aspects of data with the utmost seriousness. Learn more by getting in touch.

Author: Brian Cameron

Image via Shutterstock.

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PSVue Aims to Vanquish the Bundle

Over the past couple years, legislative action by members of Congress to force the end of the cable bundle has summarily stalled.

Despite this, it seems like many top television company CEOs have been coming around in terms of new and different offerings for frustrated consumers.

At an investors’ conference last week, Cablevision chief executive James Dolan recognized that the industry appears to be evolving, seeing “a reduction in the amount of customers that are taking the big bundle.”

In a new survey released by Digitalsmiths, 81.6% of respondents revealed that they’re interested in a more customizable type of TV service – a decidedly majority percentage that follows the same trend line as other polls.

Sony’s PlayStation Vue officially fired the opening shots at the traditional bundle on June 15 at the E3 video game conference, revealing that users will be able to pick and choose the channels that they desire.

“We’ll be the first pay-TV service to allow users to subscribe to individual channels without the purchase of a multichannel bundle,” said Sony Computer Entertainment President Andrew House.

“[PlayStation Vue is] not just a streaming service, it’s a complete live-TV experience designed for the gamer, making it simpler and easier to find the television they want,” House added.

So far this year, companies like Cablevision, Apple, DirecTV, Comcast and Dish Network have developed “skinny bundle” tiers for a lower price, however PlayStation Vue’s program will truly be the first a la carte TV option.

If their system proves to be successful, perhaps major telecoms and cable companies will look a bit more closely at Vue’s model.

PlayStation Vue is currently available in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

Author: Brian Cameron
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Generational Television Viewing Diverges

In a recent article, we covered how appointment television viewing is seemingly a foreign concept to much younger viewers, who are increasingly growing accustomed to on-demand programming and streaming services as a fact of life.

However, it is worth observing that this is only one side of the coin in terms of modern day television.

There is still a large number of people who are eager to tune in to their favorite programming every evening, and who also appreciate live TV.

An April survey from Nielsen revealed that 65% of global respondents “prefer to watch video programming live at its regularly scheduled time,” with 53% also stating that they watch live for the social media participation.

This is a contrast with Deloitte’s April “Digital Democracy Survey,” which said 45% of U.S. residents prefer to watch TV live.

Additionally, in a report this week from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism cited “the enduring strength of TV,” in which television is said to be the “most important source of news in the majority of countries.”

After media coverage of Forrester Research’s January 2015 report “Making Sense Of New Video Consumption Behavior” focused on shock statistics and not necessarily the end result, Forrester Research principal analyst Jim Nail had this to say in his blog:

“Consumer video consumption behaviors are different enough across generations that planners need to break out of past planning routines and account for these different behaviors.”

And that is the gist of TV viewing today. Viewing patterns are simply different for generations like Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers. The bottom line is, TV content will continue to be around for the next generation too.

Author: Brian Cameron

Image via Shutterstock.

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OTT Flexes Muscles In Q2 2015

In the first quarter of this year, many over-the-top (OTT) services, apps and products steadily made forays into the television industry.

This momentum has greatly continued through quarter two, and as the second quarter approaches the home stretch, reviewing the gains made by OTT businesses is worth a look.

On April 7, HBO’s streaming service HBO Now finally went live just in time for the premiere of “Game of Thrones.” While it has only been available on Apple products, Google Senior VP Sundar Pichai told attendees of the May I/O developer conference in San Francisco that it would be appearing on Android this summer.

Also at I/O, Google discussed plans to integrate online video services directly into the traditional TV grid via its Android TV platform. We saw this innovation from Channel Master in January, and predicted that it would be imitated.

On April 9, Lionsgate and Comic-Con International announced a partnership for a U.S. SVOD service, in which historic conference footage, films and television series would be offered.

“The biggest pop culture event of the year will become a year-round digital channel for Comic-Con fans and audiences around the world," said Jim Packer, Lionsgate president of worldwide television & digital distribution. "A subscription video-on-demand service is the ideal platform to capture the magic and excitement of the Comic-Con experience year-round."

This quarter has featured multiple news releases from Hulu.

Not only did Hulu acquire the streaming rights for all nine seasons of hit 1990s sitcom “Seinfeld” (which officially begins on June 24), it also put its video library on set-top boxes for Cablevision, Armstrong, Atlantic Broadband, Mediacom Communications, Midcontinent Communications and WideOpenWest subscribers, and the service will be accessible for AT&T customers later this year.

Hulu also acquired the rights for SVOD content from AMC, IFC, BBC America, Sundance TV and WEtv.

“The marketplace is exploding,” said Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins. “It feels like every week I read about the launch a new streaming service.”

In mid-May, digital music business Spotify revealed an expansion into the video realm, showcasing alliances with ESPN, ABC, NBCUniversal, Comedy Central, Turner Broadcasting, Conde Nast Entertainment and Vice News at a press event.

Across the pond, UK film and distribution company Vertigo launched their own on-demand platform, which features movies and documentaries, while Amazon put forth its Fire For Kids Unlimited subscription service.

Showtime has scheduled the debut of its eponymous OTT service for early July, for $10.99/month (compared to $15/month for HBO Now).

“Our intent is to make Showtime available to viewers via every manner possible, giving them an enormous amount of choice in accessing our programming,” stated Showtime chairman Matt Blank.

The service will launch on Apple, Roku and Sony PlayStation Vue.

And finally, Chinese tech company Alibaba has made public plans for its own OTT service.

On June 14, Alibaba head of digital entertainment Patrick Liu announced Tmall Box Office (TBO).

"Our mission, the mission of all of Alibaba, is to redefine home entertainment," Liu said. "Our goal is to become like HBO in the United States, to become like Netflix in the United States."

With so much happening in the first half of the year for OTT, we can’t wait to see what’s next in Q3.

Author: Brian Cameron

Image via Shutterstock.

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Antiquity of the TV Schedule Examined

Variety magazine held their annual Tune In! TV Summit this past Tuesday, which hosted various CEOs, industry leaders, television writers, producers and others.

During a panel on Multiplatform TV, Brian Robbins, the CEO of AwesomenessTV, a digital media company, weighed in on how the traditional television schedule has become a thing of the past to the younger generation.

“In my own house that bigscreen was not being turned on, and my kids were in this little screen … they have shows that they watch,” Robbins said. “If I went up to them and said, ‘What network is the ‘Big Bang Theory’ on and what time does it come on?’ They would have looked at me like I was an idiot because they had no idea about the clock.”

As television can be watched at any time, on multiple devices, children seem to be unaware that a network programming schedule even exists. Or that actual networks produce the shows.

The same topic came up today in an editorial by Verge writer Thomas Ricker, who “interviewed” his 6-year-old daughter on her viewing habits:

"How do you watch TV?" I ask.

"Push, push, ta da!" she says, gesturing to the two remote controls on the table.

"Can you be more specific?" I implore.

"Push the red button." (the power button on the Samsung TV remote)

"Choose the channel." (she means the HDMI input)

"And when you want to choose Netflix you push the big circle." (on the Apple TV remote)

"And then you have Netflix." (ta da!)

TV used to be about waiting, so much waiting … Waiting a week between the next show or an entire summer for the next season. Waiting until that exact day for shows to begin. Waiting all week for Saturday morning to arrive to watch cartoons … For her, TV is instant. Instant on and on demand.

And this sums up where many believe TV is headed. An entire generation is growing up, oblivious to the fact that appointment television is (or was) a thing for many people.

Some believe it may eventually end altogether.

Robbins later expressed shock when partaking in live television viewing recently, signaling that many adults have moved away from scheduled viewing as well.

“I haven’t watched linear television for so long, but I happened to do it last night,” he told the audience. “I realized how long it’s been, because when a commercial came on and interrupted the show I was surprised. What a horrible user experience!”

Although younger generations are swaying and changing traditional television viewing habits, appointment viewing and the use of linear schedules are not a thing of the past…yet.  To learn more about today's viewing patterns, please see this article.

Author: Brian Cameron

Image via Shutterstock.
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The Augmentation of TV & Film Writing

The modern definition of “television” is constantly in a state of flux, growing, expanding and experimenting with new services and formats.

Many proclaim it to be the Golden Age, and the episode count of an average season seems to be decreasing.

New methods for viewing continue to surface, with over-the-top (OTT) challenging older models.

This R&D state of TV is now spilling into the writers’ room.

In a January interview with TVLine, showrunner Michele Fazekas, of “Marvel’s Agent Carter” on ABC, discussed how binge-watching affected production.

“One of the things I believe came from ABC was they didn’t want an episodic show, they didn’t want it to be Gadget of the Week or Bad Guy of the Week, which is such a nice change from five years ago. I think that because of the influence of cable and DVR and binge-watching, they’re not afraid of continuing storylines,” she said.

Beau Willimon, writer for Netflix’s “House of Cards,” had related thoughts on this approach for Variety.

“No one would ask the author of a novel, ‘Do you write it thinking that someone is going to read it in one sitting, or a chapter here, a chapter there?’ I think it’s analogous to what’s happening in TV.”

And the well-known metholodgy for TV writing is also affecting cinema.

Last week, Deadline revealed that a crew of 11 scribes, led by Academy Award winner Akiva Goldsman, have been assembled to generate ideas as a collaborative team for future “Transformers” film efforts.

“There is such reciprocity between TV and movies now, that we’re borrowing this from TV,” Goldsman said. “I got a taste of this from JJ Abrams when I came in to write an episode of Fringe, and then Jeff Pinkner let me hang around for four years like the drunk uncle. The whole process of the story room was really delightful, and we are seeing it more in movies as this moves toward serialized storytelling … We’re trying to beg, borrow and steal from the best of them, and gathered a group of folks interested in developing and broadening this franchise.”

Considering that critics (57%, 19%, 35%, 18%) and audiences (86%, 58%, 56%, 52%) alike have given the “Transformers” movies reviews that follow a downward trend, according to aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, perhaps this unusual screenplay shakeup could prove to be beneficial.

In this era of perpetual trial and error, there seems to be no wrong way to create entertainment for the masses.

Author: Brian Cameron

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